But Tommi worked with Zotos before right? So in terms of personality it shouldn't necessarily have been a surprise.
Although I guess before Tommi was 'only' the driver.
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But Tommi worked with Zotos before right? So in terms of personality it shouldn't necessarily have been a surprise.
Although I guess before Tommi was 'only' the driver.
In terms of personality it all comes to the edge when working VERY close.
Tommi Mäkinen´s comments to YLE: "No Loeb or Solberg to Toyota WRC 2017, but maybe Hänninen and Lappi".
http://yle.fi/urheilu/3-9014917
Finish village team LOL.... but will it flop ?
I think it has been proven more than once that this is not a Finnish village team...Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Now can we focus on what we do know instead of silly attempts at degrading and pure speculation?
Thanks
it will be fun when they enter the championship... fun fun fun, then we can see who was right and was not.Quote:
Originally Posted by itix
We already know who was NOT :)Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
no need to rush into conclusions, you will miss all the fun that way.
Reading between the lines it looks like they probably won't be running three cars from the start of next season.
I think after this and Citroen's announcement we can reasonably assume that the three-car points scoring ruling is dead in the water.
Seems N.O.T isn't the only guy expecting this project to fail. Interesting Colin Clark column from MN last week talking about the service park chatter. Anyone know who the other two guys are that have left?
https://twitter.com/Krisse_Sohlberg/...747520?lang=en
Well I would not bet a cent on them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
Of course I can't be sure of them to fail... but all the clue we have seems to show it.
- All the drivers are refusing to join them, and it is not because of money since they have budget.
- They started testing late and have not a proper headquarter
- People like Zotos are saying bye bye
- It all seems confusing, and it is difficult to get information (but this can be silly jourinalists fault). And when it is difficult to get information it is often because someone don't want to show its problem...
Though I think N.O.T. ´s starting point was quite opposite to what happens now, there´s starting to be other glimpses of things happen that isn´t to good.
Or maybe it´s media-talk. You know when media wants things to go s**t. You know tabloids... The write what they want to happen, bcs then they´ll sell more papers.
The advices to TM in the article though was spot on, and still we don´t know a single thing about how TM is organizing his team. Maybe he´s doing just so.
What tabloids?! There're no more tabloids about rally. Almost amateur sport... :PQuote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
It’s not looking promising. The WRC needs another strong team –and with their history, Toyota are expected to put up a huge challenge.
I think most people thought that TMG in Cologne would be running the programme – and ran some of the early development testing with Sarrazin& Lindholm…..
And then the bombshell; Tommi Makinen’s team would be runningthe programme. A team with little experience of running cars in international series (apart from Gp N cars, mainly in Finland).
I still can’t figure out this decision – and seems to be at the personal instruction of Akio Toyoda, who probably meant well.
You wish them well, but everything seems to be pointing to disappointment: inexperienced team, basing the team in Finland, no ‘top line’drivers, personnel leaving, etc
Let's sit back and relax. Still a long way to go.
agree, it also makes the whole experience far better, in the end we can see who was right and who not and who flopped and who did not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Franky
The proof will be in the stage times for sure.
It does remind me a bit of the Nissan LMP1 situation that happened recently. You started to get rumblings from inside the project that things weren't going well and they couldn't attract drivers. There's no smoke without fire as they say. But I don't subscribe to the theory that there are people in the sport that want to see Toyota fail. Who does that really benefit? Despite people loving bad news, surely the better storylines are if they beat VW/Ogier.
What Nissan did have that Toyota don't was PR and social media across the programme. Really the only information we find out is when Tommi picks up the phone to a journalist or gets interviewed at a rally. It continues to be a massive missed opportunity and people fill the space with rumours. That said, Nissan made such a big noise about their Le Mans programme that when it did tank it added up to massive humiliation. Toyota have made no noise about their WRC programme.
They were 1st to test real 17" car, but maybe that is late...Quote:
Originally Posted by AL14
And their HQ is as good as others (I have been there and other places also)
Otherwise I admit that they may have some problems.
Ok, thanks for the clarification. You mean that actually VW was testing a mule and not a real '17 car right?Quote:
Originally Posted by pantealex
Then ok, but I think it is late anyway since they could have had much more advantage (and they needed it since it is their first year in the championship).
As for HQ I can't judge. If you were there you know better for sure.
I stay pessimistic though, since it still doesn't seem to be a winning project. I hope to be wrong of course. :)
And as often you have mostly got it wrong. So my advice (still after all these years) is please do some good homework in the future before you post your crap empty comments..Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
do not be hasty kid... patience is a virtue, the fun only has begun.Quote:
Originally Posted by jacko
Interesting you use that example. Darren Cox got plenty of air time promoting the programme - and then plenty of grief following the debacle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
Toyota have a PR department - so why isn't it being used? The WEC programme is fairly open for the press, and RLM have had special programmes about Cologne. Yet the WRC programme seems to be the complete opposite. Maybe it just reflects Tommi, who wasn't known to offer 'sound bites' and interesting interviews.
No, you misunderstood. We all, well, those who don´t want TM to suceed, writes the stuff that suits the mission.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
MAybe the best thing is to keep quiet until all stuff is settled. testing more important than media. However handling your employies oc also most important.
Have you been to the beautiful Finnish countryside?Quote:
Originally Posted by rallyfiend
Not all of us want to work in a city to be near bars or nightclubs.
You really need to tell us your definition of flop, because without it we'll never know if you were right.Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Autosport and Motorsport News? Anything penned by David Evans is just pure sensationalismQuote:
Originally Posted by Barreis
I think this is at the core of most people's issues/reservations about the team. In that it doesn't 'feel' like a manufacturer effort in how it's been created, run and presented. And in a lot of ways it feels remote and separate from the Toyota factory.Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRAC
But I agree with others that you can't write anything off until we see the car run competitively.
I think the humiliation started when the programme was announced - Darren Cox's words were excruciating to read, I wish I could find the article again on any motorsport news outlet. Not only were his choice of words embarrassing but you knew it would be failure unless they won in 2016 (or was it 2015?), because that's the target he bloody well set!Quote:
Originally Posted by AndyRACDarren Cox got plenty of air time promoting the programme - and then plenty of grief following the debacle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
No such claims from Toyota (correct me if I am wrong but I read nothing in the article on autosport when Akio Toyoda made it official) so as far as I see it, failure will be if they do not achieve all they have claimed thus far: to compete in WRC from 2017
I don't know anyone here that doesn't want toyota to succeed. These're comments about how TM operates. More different winners, better for sport...Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
suzuki and mini.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mariusz `
https://m.popkey.co/7a6c83/0rzrW.gifQuote:
Originally Posted by Jack4688`
Nah, very wrong example. Nor Suzuki or Mini factories were involved back then. Didn´t even help them moving on.Quote:
Originally Posted by N.O.T
Toyota on the contrary, finances the whole project.
Are you God?
That is why the flop of village people will be even more spectacular... it will be a nice feast though of all the finish failures of the past.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
Everyone is invited to join the flop guys, just do not jump into conclusions too fast.
You do know this isn't a question, right? Sorry for OT.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
I agree 100 percent about the fact that the rumors stem entirely from the lack of updates from the team.Quote:
Originally Posted by Simmi
Lack of information always create rumors and misinformation, it's human nature.
A driver that could be intersting for Toyota is actually PG Andersson, he still have a lot of unfinished business in the WRC.
Agree with Lundefaret. And i like Juho. Give him a proper chance.
Yes, proper chance means drive as many WRC rallies as possible. Look at Tanak... for example.Quote:
Originally Posted by Andre Oliveira
P.G. is 36 years old and has been out of the circus for quite a long time. I can't see how any team would be intrested in him considering that he would need at least a season or two of learning like anybody else.